Goddard raises a brow. "What else can you see?" he asks as if he knows the answer and is afraid he's right.
Otto bows and sighs. "No...please if you need anything let me know. I did poof your brother here...and I feel horrible that we cannot help your sister until we get the help of the celestial wizards.
Aara bites her lip bit doesn't want to lie to him. "Your horns. Fangs. Tail. Claws. Everything but the bone."
ReplyDelete"I am curious, what happened to Cynath? Lavannos asks, beginning to take off his armor
ReplyDeleteOtto bites his lip. "I'm...sure you'll find out in time...it's not my place to say anything about it anyway.
ReplyDeleteGoddard's ears droop and he throws the blanket over his head. "What am I going to do?" he whispers. "I can't...it's...it's gone..."
Instead of pulling the blanket off him, Aara crawls under with him. "You'll wear your hood up. We'll find you a dashing new cloak with lots of pockets. And file your nails if you want." She holds him against her. "Everything will be fine, nuur'eni, you'll see."
ReplyDelete"I hope he is well. " Lavannos says quitely.
ReplyDeleteCynath'cha yawns and curls up by the fire place, Looking up at Otto with his big blue eyes
"He'll be fine," Otto smiles and bends down to pet the lion. "I've told him stories about white lions. I bet he was excited to see you," Otto tells the large cat.
ReplyDelete"It was awful...being like this...and I have to do it again?" Goddard snuggles close to Aara and sighs. "Well...at least I know I can help father and my dear cousin. If they want to use it that is...I wouldn't blame them if they decided not to. I don't even want to mess with that again...that was worse than my face melting..."
She suppresses a shudder. "It won't be so bad now," she whispers. "I'll help you." She kisses his forehead and scratches his back soothingly. "U ssinssrig dos."
ReplyDelete"His eyes lit up when he saw us in the market. Most of the humans ran or where shocked, and rightly so. I think we were both surprised to meet each other"
ReplyDeleteOtto chuckles. "Silly humans. I'm not surprised they would react in such a way. I feel as if, no matter how much time they spend around us, most will still never understand us."
ReplyDelete"Bel’la dos usta ssinssrig," Goddard whispers. He wraps his arms around her and his tail curls around ankle.
"Don't thank me, it's easy," she says, brushing hair out of his eyes. "You and me, remember?"
ReplyDelete"You and me," he yawns and closes his eyes.
ReplyDeleteWhen Otto walks back into the room, he sighs. "Just...taking over my bed...both of them. At least they are just sleeping in it...they had better just be sleeping in it..."
Otto lays on Goddard's bed and closes his eyes. "You two had better just be sleeping," he whispers before he dozes off.
Aara sleeps badly, tossing and turning and muttering in her sleep about bread and sand. She dreams of racing through dirty, thin city streets, a loaf of bread tucked under her arm and her heart racing. And of being caught when she was so close to freedom.
ReplyDelete"Please no," she murmurs as the dream shifts to the city square, and she's dragged up to the whipping post. Just before the first lash falls on her back, Aara gasps and wakes up. "Dammit," she whispers, untangling herself from Goddard's arms and tail and sitting up. The fire's burned down and the air's slightly chilly, so she can only assume it's a far cry from dawn. With a sigh, she walks over to the fire and adds a few logs.
At some point I would love to sleep through the night.
Goddard grumbles some and wraps himself around a pillow once Aara gets up.
ReplyDelete"I love you," he mumbles into the pillow with smile before he's quietly sleeping again.
"Bad dream?" Otto asks. He's sitting up in the bed reading a book by a small dim candle. "I see no reason why Lileath would want to punish you with nightmares," he sighs.
She turns when Otto speaks and smiles sadly. "Can't sleep without them." She sits in a chair across from him. "Nothing changes, they're always the same."
ReplyDelete"What are they? If you don't mind me asking," he keeps reading the book. "I don't dream. Lileath must not think much of me."
ReplyDelete"Sometimes it's the day my brother Tarik died. He and Ali were working on the docks and a rope snapped. A pallet full of crates crushed him and two others." She bites on her knuckle. "I was running around with a stolen fish, hoping Tarik would hide me when I came upon the accident. I saw a hand sticking out from under the crates. I didn't know who it belonged to- didn't even know Tarik was involved- but I held his hand and talked to him until they uncovered his body."
ReplyDeleteShe sighs and plays with a lock of hair tumbling over her shoulder. "The other I was whipped in the square for theft. I was seven."
Otto closes the book and rests it on his lap once Aara begins to speak. "You and cynath are a lot a like. But I guess in this world, everyone has had their share of sadness and pain. And yet...everyone seems to think that they are alone in this."
ReplyDeleteAara shrugs. "I've seen enough sadness to know that's not true. I don't regret the theft or hold a grudge against those who whipped me. Tarik died just as easily as the other two men. Nothing can change it, I just wish I could sleep through the night."
ReplyDelete"Well you have proven to me over and over again in the short time that I have known you that you are one of the different people," he smiles.
ReplyDeleteShe returns his smile. "It's nice for that to be a good thing for once."
ReplyDelete"Imagine how all of this...the three of us, would not work if we were not so different from what we came from."
ReplyDeleteShe laughs. "It would be a nightmare."
ReplyDelete"Not really. All I would have to do is cast one spell," he chuckles. "But that, thankfully, is not the case. And I can continue to pick on my little druchii without worrying about him coming after me later," he laughs.
ReplyDelete"He can be fierce, can't he?" she laughs, looking over at Goddard peacefully sleeping. "And dreadfully sullen sometimes."
ReplyDelete"Yes."
ReplyDeleteOtto seems like he is thinking for a moment before he stands. "Would you like anything to eat? Drink? I think I'll make some coffee."
She yawns and shakes her head, rising. "Thank you, but I think I'll try sleep again." Slipping off her sandals, she steals her pillow back from Goddard, giggling when he grabs her and pulls her close.
ReplyDeleteOtto walks over to the fire and gets to making his coffee.
ReplyDeleteGoddard kisses Aara's cheek and buries his face in her hair. "This is much nicer with a nose," he mumbles sleepily.
"Shut up and go back to sleep," she says lovingly, closing her eyes.
ReplyDeleteGoddard nods and tries to fall asleep but he can't. The smell of the coffee is so much nicer with a nose. He's also distracted by how Aara's hair smells even more wonderful.
ReplyDeleteAfter a few moments of trying to sleep, he slips out of bed and sits on the floor in front of the fireplace.
"You want coffee too huh?" Otto asks digging around in a pile of dishes.
Aara rolls over, already asleep, and sprawls out across the bed, taking up much more space that one would believe considering her size.
ReplyDeleteOnce Goddard has his cup of coffee, he goes to the table where his notebook still sits. He rips the page out with the ritual he wrote and crosses out the final ingredient he used and heavily circles the other ingredient.
ReplyDeleteHe hands it to Otto. "There. What I tried was to get rid of everything. You and Eglanor only have one so this will work much better for you...I'm done with this."
Otto simply nods and puts the paper in a fat tome that's full of writing, scraps of paper and fabric.
"Don't feel bad if you decide not to do it," Goddard adds. "I wouldn't blame you and I wouldn't feel like any of my time was wasted."
The two elves talk for a little while before Goddard starts to yawn again.
ReplyDelete"Go back to bed," Otto says. "I think I'll do the same. Whatever feelings of being awake coffee is supposed to give to humans, it doesn't do anything to me. It just tastes good." He stretches and head back to bed.
Goddard stares at Aara, taking up the whole bed. She looks so comfortable. He smiles, happy that she can relax after everything that has happened and then he dives into the bed with Otto.
"I said I wanted to sleep," Otto sits up and tries to pull the blanket away. "You're not a little kid any more."
"Ahh who cares."
Otto wraps himself up in a blanket with a huff after he adjusts a pillow and soon falls asleep propped up.
For the first time in ten years, Aara sleeps past sunrise. She groans and rolls over, trying to go back to sleep, but something tickles her nose. Still asleep, she rubs her hand across her face, muttering. A moment later, the tickling returns, and again she rolls over. "Stop it," she whines. When she's tickled a third time, her hand reaches up and slaps herself in the face, waking herself up completely. Groaning, she opens her eyes to see Goddard staring at her, nose to nose.
ReplyDelete"Bwael Kre’tan," he says smiling.
ReplyDelete"Cynath! I told you that was a cruel thing to do...poor girl just hit herself in the face," Otto scolds.
Aara rubs her nose against his. "Bwael Kre'tan," she replies. "I'm going to hang bats above your head while you sleep tonight."
ReplyDeleteGoddard frowns and backs away. "Well that's just mean...I'll scream and possibly have a heart attack. Do you want to be responsible for my heart attack?"
ReplyDeleteShe giggles. "You know I won't do that. You'd have such a fit I'd wake up with bruises."
ReplyDelete"You have to take cover when you do that," Otto chuckles. "He woke up once before I could move away. I ended up with a bloody nose."
ReplyDeleteAara stretches before sitting up. "Why did you let me sleep so late?" she asks, scratching her head and making a mess of her hair. "I never sleep so long," she yawns.
ReplyDelete"That's why I let you sleep. And what did we have to get up early for anyway...it's not like we have chickens to feed or crops to worry about," Goddard says.
ReplyDeleteAara can't really argue with that logic, but tries anyway. "It's lazy, nuur'eni," she tells him, going from the bed into a handstand before letting her feet fall down the floor and forming an arch. "Laziness is a waste of time."
ReplyDelete"Well cynath, aren't we just huge wastes of time," Otto laughs.
ReplyDeleteAara laughs as she straightens up. "Massive," she agrees.
ReplyDelete"We lounge around for the most part and read and talk," Otto sighs as if it were hard work.
ReplyDelete"No no no...you lounge around," Goddard gathers up the sheets. "I was always cleaning and running around and look...I'm cleaning the sheets right now."
"Why thank you!" Otto smiles.
Goddard grumbles a bit then looks at Aara. "What shall we do to...hrm...maybe we shouldn't go outside."
Aara shrugs. "Wash them here and I'll take them down to dry outside?"
ReplyDeleteOtto furrows his brow "No. Make him go outside with you. Cynath, you went outside before, you'll go outside again just the same."
ReplyDeleteAara nods and gets their cloaks. "Alright then. We'll go outside and do it."
ReplyDelete"But I don't want to," Goddard whines while he puts his cloak on. He pulls the hood up and adjusts his cowl then loops his tail in a strap under his tabard that he hadn't used in years.
ReplyDelete"Well...Am I terrifying?" he mumbles.
"You have no idea," she laughs, taking half the bed linens from him as they start down the stairs. "You look like a giant cuddle bug, just ready to attack the first adorable person you see."
ReplyDeleteHe laughs. "Oh hush you. What kind of bug is that anyway? I've never seen one."
ReplyDelete"The kind with two horns, a tail, and a the cutest nose in existence."
ReplyDeleteAara has never seen Goddard's face turn so pink before. The illusion never accounted for blushing. "Shhh someone might hear you and beat me with a stick."
ReplyDeleteHe's blushing. Really blushing. It's adorable.
ReplyDeleteShe grins stupidly. "There's only ghosts and stones to hear me, hayati. You're as safe as you've always been here."
He relaxes and sighs. "You're right. And it's just washing sheets. Nothing can go wring right? Or did I just ruin it by saying something about it?"
ReplyDelete"It's fine. We're just washing sheets. Once they're drying we can go find a tattooist and get two more names put on my arms, and maybe we'll do some dancing later."
ReplyDelete"Do you even have space?" he chuckles, starting on the wash. "What do you put if you don't know the person's name and do you just keep going up your arm What if you run out of space?"
ReplyDelete"Did you see how high Siba's went? My teacher had so many they went up to his collarbone and across his back and chest." She shuffles the fabric to one arm and shows him the underside of her left wrist. "If I don't know their names, I give them a name to remember them by. This one says 'eyescar' because he had a hideous scar that ran across his eye, causing it to be sewn shut. Bands of bandits and such were never much of a concern before, or I was able to gather names before one of them died."
ReplyDelete"I would imagine an elf who did the same kind of work might have his whole body covered," he says, trying to imagine what something like that would even look like.
ReplyDelete"So what are you going to call these guys?"
"There are some who live so long and do so well that they do have their bodies covered. I see no need to continue that long," she adds. "But maybe a little farther, past my elbows, perhaps."
ReplyDelete"I asked for their names yesterday when the last one had me by the neck. Ralph was the one who was going to..." She trails off, feeling that the word rape was unnecessary. "He's the one I stabbed in the groin. Albert was the one you got with the thorns."
"Wow...I was just thinking an elf had a lot more time to get it. To have a human be covered..." he shudders. "That's a scary human!"
ReplyDeleteGoddard angrily scrubs the sheets. "That...kyndul nan...deserved that and worse."
Aara grins. "We humans can be quite frightening when we wish. Many retire before reaching that stage, however. My ustadh is probably spinning in his tomb to know I'm even considering retirement at this age," she laughs. "He would say I was his legacy."
ReplyDeletePutting a hand on the shoulder where he was stabbed, she shrugs. "I'm just glad you're fine. If I thought it would have given you a chance to run..." She doesn't finish her statement once she realizes what she would have done to keep him safe. "Nevermind."
"Don't you dare..." Goddard shoots her a hurt and angry look. "I've had worse than a dagger in my shoulder. I would have been fine."
ReplyDelete"Don't look at me like, nuur'eni," she says gently. "I promised to keep you safe."
ReplyDelete"Iblith," Goddard mutters wincing. He puts a hand to his mouth and sees that he is indeed bleeding. He bit his lip harder than he thought.
ReplyDeleteAara sighs. "You do understand that I am a shield and a weapon, don't you? If it comes down to my life or yours, it will always be you that walks away if I can help it. If we can both walk away, even better."
ReplyDeleteShe turns his face to look him in the eye. "That's just how it is, Goddard. The difference is that it's out of love, because I can't imagine a world without you in it."
"And what if I don't want you to be that? A shield and a weapon...what if I just want you to...to be...I don't know..."
ReplyDelete"I'm not Koroush...or am I just the same thing he was to you? What if I want to keep you safe?"
He tears the fabric a bit. "Oh wait...I guess I can't even do that..."
"Just the same as Koroush? Oh, hayati, you'll never be what he was, you're far more important than that. I owed Koroush a debt, and did what I did out of duty."
ReplyDeleteTaking the sheet out of his hands, she levels a serious look at him. "Do you realize what you did yesterday? I had no weapon I could safely get to and at my throat was a knife so sharp a twitch would have killed me. Your spell changed that. Goddard, you saved us."
Kissing his hands, she sighs. "And I will be whatever you need me to."
"Be what you want to be," he grumbles and takes the sheet back.
ReplyDelete"Never mind what I want or need..." he whispers.
Aara grins and pushes him to the ground, straddling him in one smooth move. "What I want to be is yours," she tells him, lowering her head to nibble on his jaw. "Are you ok with that?"
ReplyDeleteGoddard tries in vain to remain grumpy. He eventually gives in and allows a large toothy grin to slide across his face. Aara can see his fangs clearly and it's no wonder he ripped the man's hand apart.
ReplyDelete"More than ok," he chuckles.
She matches his grin. "Good, because I'm not ready to go anywhere yet. Now let's get these sheets done. I want to go for a run in the woods, and you're coming with me."
ReplyDeleteHe narrows his eyes at her. "You do all this and want to go back to cleaning sheets? Can't we kiss or something first? At least kiss!"
ReplyDeleteAara laughs and obliges him for a good long time. "Hmmm, I like you with lips," she giggles.
ReplyDelete"I like them too." He moves forward as she teasingly moves away. Goddard finally opens his eyes and looks over at the sheets.
ReplyDelete"I guess we really should get this done. And we can go back to the woods as long as we stay close to Altdorf again. Beast men live deeper in the forest."
"We'll stay close. But I've been lazy and haven't run since we left Araby. I used to run five miles a day before training."
ReplyDelete"Isn't there such a thing as too much running? And if there isn't, I'm going to say five miles is probably two times too much."
ReplyDeleteShe sits up, grinning wickedly. "I'll make you a deal. If you can keep up for...two miles, I'll..." She thinks a moment before whispering in his ear about a dagger. "Deal?"
ReplyDelete"Two miles! I can do that. No problem. And I'm not just saying that for...you know," he chuckles.
ReplyDelete"I don't know...You don't seem like you can run two minutes, let alone two miles," she taunts, scrubbing at the blood in the sheets.
ReplyDelete"I'm...energetic and have plenty of stamina," he says trying not to laugh.
ReplyDelete"We'll see," she laughs, wringing out the sheet. "Where should we hang this to dry? We can't just leave it in the snow."
ReplyDelete"Sure we can. And then laugh at father when we give him a frozen sheet," he laughs. "Over here. We have a place to hang things for such snowy occasions."
ReplyDelete"I'm not giving him a frozen sheet," she laughs. "That can be all on you." Once they get the sheets hung, she turns to him. "Which first, run or tattoos?"
ReplyDelete"Tattoo. And then maybe it will be too dark out to do this running."
ReplyDeleteGoddard quickly gets his scythe and takes Aara in search of a place to get a tattoo.
"It won't take that long," she laughs. When they go upstairs to get his scythe, she changes clothes and pulls a waterproof leather document case out of her backpack before following him back out.
ReplyDeleteGoddard stares at the case Aara carries, wondering what it could be. After being quiet for some time he finally asks, "What's that?"
ReplyDeleteShe grins. "I was wondering how long it would take you." Stopping at a bench, she sits and opens it, spreading the contents across her lap.
ReplyDeleteInside is a dried rose, the portrait she had painted in Araby, and two long scrolls of paper covered with beautiful drawings. Highly abstract, they give the impression of a briar rose motif. Each was different, but they worked together perfectly. It was subtle, but it made anyone who saw it think of silk and swords. At the top of each series of vines and thorns was a large desert rose.
Goddard can easily see how names form lines matching the scrolling vines on the papers.
"The left side ends on my shoulder blade, the right on my collarbone," she explains.
Goddard smiles when he sees the rose then frowns at the portrait. I can never get painted again now..."
ReplyDeleteAfter a moment he says, "That's one of Morr's symbols...a thorny rose. Is that what it's going to look like? And when? Will you get it finished now?"
"Is it? I didn't know that. Koroush and Ustadh designed it for me when I was thirteen. It won't be finished for a long time. See how the names form the lines? The roses are the only thing that won't be made of names."
ReplyDeleteHe nods. "That's part of why I gave you a rose. It was a lot more than just some flower...some flower that I stole," he chuckles.
ReplyDelete"And why not just get it done now? And put the names later?"
She replaces everything in the case and stands. "Because that's not how it's done," she replies as they walk on. "And I have a long time to work on it. I've gotten this far in seven years, it shouldn't take more than ten to finish it."
ReplyDeleteThey walk until she sees a marquist's shop. "There we are," she says, pulling him inside.
Goddard crosses his arms, not liking the idea of her needing to kill so many people herself to finish some tattoo.
ReplyDeleteHe adjusts his hood and cowl before heading in with Aara.
She spends a long time discussing her needs with the artist, forcing him to map out the two names several times before she's satisfied. She doesn't explain the nature of the tattoos or the significance of the reikspeil names, but after an hour and a half, she has a slightly longer line on her right arm. As they leave, she notices Goddard's been quiet and frowning the whole time, arms crossed.
ReplyDelete"What is it, nuur'eni?"
She can do whatever she wants...
ReplyDelete"I just...don't want to get caught," he whispers. "I'm...nervous...and other similar feelings," he mumbles.
She takes his hand. "I only half believe you," she tells him. "You didn't have that expression until we started talking about my tattoos. Do they bother you?"
ReplyDelete"No. Your tattoos do not bother me."
ReplyDeleteIt's the truth...I have no problem with them...
"I'll have to think about how to finish the design when I retire. Her design never had a finial, so she left it to spiral out." She watches the river as they walk, thinking back to the first time she felt the familiar sting on her hand. "A year ago I'd never dream of retiring."
ReplyDeleteGoddard watches the river too. He thinks about his swimming lessons and the ocean with Aara. "A tattoo wouldn't last very on me would it? With my problem of being highly prone to scaring."
ReplyDelete"It depends on the scar," pulling up her left sleeve, she turns her wrist and shows him a jagged scar across her arm. "They tattooed over this one. I suppose you would have to take placement into deep consideration."
ReplyDelete"Not to mention I like what happens before the scar," he chuckles. "Even if I place it in a clear spot, what's to say that spot will stay clear?"
ReplyDeleteShe laughs. "Not all cuts ruin them, but I see your point."
ReplyDeleteThey finally get outside the city and walk far enough way from Altdorf to where Goddard feels comfortable enough to take the hood off. "They can see us from here but we aren't close enough that they can see I have horns and we shouldn't run into anything ferocious."
ReplyDeleteShe nods, making sure her cloak is pinned well and won't choke her as she runs. "Which way?"
ReplyDelete"We'll just run around it. Not all the way along the wall but one mile one way and one mile back? Sound good? You said two miles. But don't yell at me if I can't keep up," he chuckles and flips the scythe around so it's on his back. "It kept people away from me which is good."
ReplyDeleteShe grins. "I won't yell if you don't trip and hurt yourself."
ReplyDeleteAnd simple as that, she's off.
Goddard runs after her, careful not to get stuck in any small spaces between trees. He hops over tree roots and avoids tripping on rocks.
ReplyDelete"This is pretty fun," he calls after her.
Aara laughs and adjusts her pace so she doesn't get too far ahead of him. Catching her cloak, she wraps it around her arm so it doesn't flap behind her.
ReplyDelete"Why do I get the feeling you're staying back there on purpose?"
"I'm not...I just don't want a tree, rock, or my weapon to kill me," he chuckles.
ReplyDeleteAara sets her pace and continues, sticking sort of close to the city. Maybe I can be Ustadh's legacy in other ways. If I become a teacher, I won't gave to bother with names. I could even finish the marks with solid lines. I should write to Siba about it. I'm only...twenty one? Did I pass my birthday? I should find out what day it is.
ReplyDeleteThe woods aren't so bad I guess...neither is the snow.
ReplyDeleteGoddard tries to figure out a way to get through an upcoming patch of trees without getting stuck and skids to a stop when a large horned figure comes crashing through the trees right in front of him, it's large head smashing a tree and causing snow and bark to go flying everywhere.
What! What is this thing doing so close to the city!?
Aara slides to a stop and turns, seeing the creature between her and Goddard. Looking around, she jumps up and catches the nearest branch, pulling herself up. Once out of reach, she makes a snowball and throws it at it's head.
ReplyDelete"Run stupid!" she shouts when it turns to look at her.
"Don't insult me!" he yells up at her as he tries to turn around. The scythe, snow and nature must be against him. Goddard runs for a bit before the end of the scythe catches a tree and jerks him back, causing him to slip on ice and land flat on his back.
ReplyDeleteI might actually need to intervene this time
ReplyDelete"What do you think?" Lavannos whispers to Cynath'cha. The lion looks at him and lets out a low, throaty rumble
Aara sighs when Goddard falls. At least it's one and not five... she thinks, throwing another snowball to distract it.
ReplyDeleteIt snorts and bats the snowball away eye up Goddard.
ReplyDelete"I swear to Khaine! Damn trees!" Goddard struggles to get up but the blade is wedged. He has to wriggle free from the harness and then try and twist the blade free.
He makes eye contact with the creature and it takes a step forward, unsure if it want to go after what on the floor first or what's up in the tree, annoying it.
Cynth'cha dissapears into the snow, sneaking around to catch the beast man from behind.
ReplyDeleteLavannos unslings his bow, slowly notching an arrow. He inhales, bring the bow up and pulling back the arrow. Slowly he exhales about half his breath, and waits
Uzzaya have mercy on him, because if he doesn't get up that tree I'll kill him.
ReplyDelete"Jump already! Get out of it's way!"
Goddard drops the scythe and makes his way up the tree.
ReplyDelete"I don't need this right now!" he yells. "This thing is going to..."
It quickly runs at the tree Goddard is climbing and rams into it. He slips and would have fallen, had he not caught the branch with his tail. Goddard hangs upside down a few feet above its head.
Lucky for him, the creature is dumb and instead of going after him again, it slams into the tree Aara is up in.
She sees it coming and braces, grabbing the branch above her. "You don't need this right now?" She laughs, further infuriating the beast into ramming her tree again.
ReplyDelete"Really? I had no idea."
Lavannos lets the arrow fly. It slams into the tress trunk right at the beasts neck like, slightly nicking it but doing no read damage.
ReplyDelete"Here beasty beasty beasty..." Lavannos whispers to himself, a look of amusement of his face
It looks at the arrow then looks up at Aara and then at the still upside down Goddard. It slams it's head into Aara's tree again then charges Goddard. It has no idea where the arrow came from and assumes it has to be one of these two morsels.
ReplyDeleteGoddard claws frantically at the tree branch, and finally climbs back up onto it, hugging it for dear life as the tree shudders violently.
So somebody is shooting at it...and missed? Wasn't yesterday enough?
ReplyDelete"Wrong answer" Lavannos says, no longer a whisper. He re-slings his bow, and draws his massive axe, stalking his way towards the creature
ReplyDeleteCynath'cha apperently agrees, and lets out a bestial roar from nearby Aara and Goddards tree.
Aara rolls her eyes. "Playing with it, are you?" she calls down at Lavannos.
ReplyDeleteThe beastman slams its head into Goddard's tree again before it hears the roar. It looks around for a moment, a bit confused and then lets out its own roar, slamming the tree again.
ReplyDeleteGoddard can't hold on any longer and lands right on top of it. It throws it's head back and Goddard uses every claw, tooth and his tail to stay put.
If I end up on the ground, I'm dead...
It grabs at the dark elf trying to pull him off but Goddard won't let go so easily.
No more dancing. Next it's tree climbing.
ReplyDelete"Goddard, what in seven hells? Get off it and into a tree."
"I had thought to, before Goddard decided to fall on it" Lavannos yells, appearing from seemingly no where.
ReplyDeleteCynath'cha Lunges at the creature, and rakes it across the leg before running off again
"We had plenty of playtime yesterday."
ReplyDeleteMaster says, rather enraged I might add, that if he lets go, he will end up on the ground and will surely be stomped to death.
ReplyDeleteArha speaks coldly in Aara's head.
Is that what you want lady Aara? For the Master to be stomped to death? Shall I inform him?
Goddard quickly angles himself so he is hanging more on it's back to avoid being crushed between the beats skull and a tree as it tries to get Goddard off. It can't grab at Goddard very well at this angle and Goddard has a moment to grab his dagger.
He doesn't have time to stab at the creature however. It jerks forward as it tries to grab at the lion that just slashed at him
"What I want, you horrific little bastard, is to stop being a pain in the ass," she growls at Arha, "and be useful for once."
ReplyDeleteKeeping you safe and alive wasn't useful?
ReplyDeleteAara's ears ring as the creature hisses angrily in her head.
Master has thanked me for...being useful...I don't care what YOU have to say...
Lavannos runs at the beast man, twirling his axe with a finesse completely unheard of with a weapon that size; it might as well have been a rapier or short sword in Lavannos' hands for he seemed to care little about the size or weight of the weapon.
ReplyDeleteNoticing Goddard and the beastman struggling, Lavannos flicks the axe around his body, using it as a fulcrum for leverage, and strikes out at the creatures knee.
Aara can clearly see the lion in the snow, ready to pounce when an opening presents itself
"Well that's good, because I'm not above going to Otto over it. And I thanked you too, you ogre fart. Why do you hate me so much?"
ReplyDeleteYou know why!
ReplyDeleteIt practically screeches.
And what will he do? Nothing! I am the Master's and the Master is mine. You can't get rid of me now and neither can Otto.
The creature roars and drops to it's knee, unable to support itself on the single uninjured leg. The sudden movement causes Goddard to loose his grip and fall to the ground.
It strikes quickly at Lavannos and its claws catch the blade of the axe. Goddard gets up and plunges his dagger into its neck. He pulls the dagger out and goes to stab it again but it quickly slaps at him and hits the ground yet again.
"Fine. I'll go," she says, watching from above. "And I'll tell your Master the reason he loses me is because of a jealous little fleck of dust." She sits on the branch and crosses her arms. "Have you ever considered that he might be miserable without me, and you can't fix that?"
ReplyDeleteSeeing his blade locked, Lavannos quickly chages his grip, and slams the metal shaft of the axe handle into the beasts face before twisting the blade free and spinning a full 360 degrees around to readdress the beast. Cynath'cha charges in from behind, leaping over Goddard and crashing into the beastman, its claws sinking it
ReplyDeleteWhich is exactly why I know you won't go anywhere.
ReplyDeleteArha chuckles and then whispers, U ssinssrig dos? I'm not stupid lady Aara.
The attack from the front and back catches the beast off guard and knocks the wind out of it. It falls onto it's side. It isn't dead, simply stunned and it's eyes almost glow with rage.
Goddard curls up defensively, hoping the large cat doesn't land on him accidentally.
"And what exactly do you mean by that? Your intelligence is the one thing I haven't doubted."
ReplyDeleteCynath'cha rolls with the beast, digging his claws in even further in an attempt to roll the beast around so he can get to its spinal column where the lions powerful bite can break its neck.
ReplyDeleteLavannos charges again, this time swinging for the fences with a strike aimed at the midsection, one that if it hits would probably tear the creature in half
You can say you'll leave all you want and I'll never believe you. You love him. And you would never leave his side. You would never want to hurt him and you know exactly what leaving would do to him.
ReplyDeleteThe creature bleats loudly as the ax digs into its midsection. It didn't have enough time to even see the attack from the elf as it was distracted by the attached lion.
"Watch me."
ReplyDeleteShe jumps down from her branch and starts walking away, completely unnoticed by anyone else. Knowing Arha can read her mind, she keeps her mind blank of everything but rage.
She can hear Arha's chuckle echo in her head before she finally hears nothing but the snow falling again.
ReplyDeleteLavannos recovers his axe, and walks over to Goddard.
ReplyDelete"You arnt hurt, are you?" he asks in Eltharin.
A loud snap-pop can be heard as Cynath'cha finishes the beast
The closer Aara gets to the city the faster she moves. Once actually in the college, her anger gets the best of her and she puts her fist into the wall so hard her knuckles are bloody and she's pretty sure she broke something.
ReplyDeleteWithout speaking, she walks into Otto and Goddard's rooms and starts gathering her things.
((eltharin))
ReplyDeleteGoddard spits at the ground and wipes his mouth. "I think the taste of biting into that creature is worse than the throbbing in my head," he chuckles.
-----
"What are you doing?" Otto asks Aara surprised. He had retrieved the clean sheets and was making the beds. "Did he go after another woman? I told him not to make you mad! And what does he do? Exactly that! Want me to wring his neck?"
"He didn't do anything," she tells him, favoring her swelling hand. "It's that gods bedamned bat you gave him." In the midst of shoving sandals in her bag, she curses and cradles her hand to her chest.
ReplyDeleteOtto walks over to her and grabs her hand. "Look what you did...over Arha? What could he have possibly done? Nothing he could have done could be that important..."
ReplyDeleteThat creature hit you so hard you've grown horns! Lavanos says with a laugh. "I'm guessing that's what Otto meant"
ReplyDeleteCynath'cha seems to be licking snow as if in agreement with Goddard
"Oh no, nothing important at all. The thrice damned little bastard just taunts and torments me, thinking it can me against myself." She quickly repeats their exchange for Otto. "I can't- and won't- take abuse from a cloud."
ReplyDelete"Uhhh..." Goddard quickly pulls the hood over his head and sits still in the snow. "I've...always had them...since I was a child. You just...couldn't see them until now."
ReplyDelete-----
"What a little bastard!" Otto growls. "But...he's right. I can't do anything about his horrid attitude. You have to speak to cynath and he'll have to deal with him. We can't just...make him go away," he sighs. "Or...you could leave cynath like you intend to do now...what do I tell him when he comes looking you?"
"don't worry friend" lavannos says with a smile, still offering his hand to help Goddard up. "At least I'm not the prettiest one I the room anymore" he adds, laughing in reference to his scar
ReplyDeleteShe sinks into a chair, covering her face with her good hand. "Tell him..." She sighs and looks over at her things piled on the floor. Would you strike so quickly at him? Eglanor had asked.
ReplyDelete"Tell him I went for a walk," she sighs, heading for the door. "I'll come back when I'm calmer."
Goddard looks up and takes his hand. "Thank you...for helping me and for not killing me..."
ReplyDeleteOnce to his feet, Goddard looks around for Aara. "Lecai? Lecai? Where are you?"
Master...she left you and your cousin to deal with the beast...
"What?"
She is gone, Master. Maybe to the college? This way is the fastest way back.
The shadow is extremely noticeable on the white snow and Goddard follows Arha once he grabs the scythe.
-----
"Is this the truth? I will not lie to my son," Otto crosses his arms. "Especially not about you."
"I'll be back," she says. "I promise."
ReplyDelete"If it was going to happen, it would have been at mention of you being a dark elf, and by his claws, not mine. You have nothing to worry about. " lavannos says
ReplyDelete"We should leave before more that that one show up"
Goddard gets back to the college and looks around the room.
ReplyDelete"Did Aara come here?"
"Yes she did?"
"Well...where is she?"
"She went for a walk. She'll come back later when she is calmer."
"What does that mean?"
Otto tells Goddard what happened with Aara and Arha. Goddard slams the scythe down onto the floor and yells for Arha. "Where are you!? You horrible little..." in an instant, Goddard can't speak and he angrily looks over at Otto.
"He's your familiar. And you need to figure this out. I can't have you casting some spell on him and destroying him because you're angry."
Goddard pulls on his ears and flops down onto his bed.
Aara wanders through the city, keeping her broken hand close to her body. In the sea of pale skin and reikspeil, she feels singled out. I understand what he meant in Araby about not belonging.
ReplyDeleteShe keeps her head down and hood up, ignoring anyone who bothers to speak to her. I don't want there to be a constant war between Arha and myself, but I won't take its abuse either. Sighing, she leans against the railing on a bridge and stares ahead.
If I leave, it would break his heart. And mine.
Mind racing, Aara does the one thing she has always been good at: she loses herself in the city.
Arha appears in front of Goddard on the bed.
ReplyDeleteWhy!? Why would you say such things!
Master! She was being mean to you! She obviously didn't understand the situation you were in! I did Master! I was simply asking a question and she gave me lip!
She's allowed to!
No! You're my Master! I obey you! I am here for you. Why don't you see this Master. All I want to do is help you.
Arha floats over to Goddard's hand and 'snuggles' trying to be pet. Goddard raises a brow.
Is that why you're being a brat? You're like some awful pet...no...
Goddard opens his hand and Arha 'curls up' in his palm.
Dogs don't help their masters cast spells. Do you need to hear it too? You horrible little creature? You've saved my life often. I do love you Arha but you need to stop being mean to lecai!
Whhheeeee!
Cut it out! You're going to apologize!
Yes Master...
I don't ever want to hear about you being mean to her ever again! Or else...I'll hate you...
GASP! No Master! Please no!
"Anissa? I had hoped I would see you again."
ReplyDeleteAara looks up and narrows her eyes at the pushy Arabyan from the day before. "Masah al khair," she says suspiciously. "What can I do for you?"
The middle aged man has the grace to look ashamed of himself. "You can accept my apology? I am terribly sorry for my behavior yesterday."
She raises an eyebrow at him. "If you mean to ask me to dinner again, my answer is still no, as I am still engaged."
"And always alone," he chuckles, holding his hands up. "Forgive me, Anissa. Might I walk with you a while? I have a favor to ask of the Mashi A'Maut."
Curious, Aara nods, but keeps her distance from him.
Goddard stands and grabs the scythe, readying himself to go find Aara.
ReplyDeleteI'll hate you forever and use you as just a tool and nothing more.
Please Master! Do not say such things! I'll be good! I'll apologize! I promise, Master!
This truly upset Arha. He can read minds and there is nothing else behind what Goddard says. He means what he says.
Goddard smirks and heads downstairs and into the city.
"Go and find her...now," Goddard whispers once the spell wears off. "And don't say anything to her. Lead me to her."
Yes Master.
"No."
ReplyDelete"But Anissa- he is old and dying. The honor it would bring him! To die in glorious battle against one of the Mashi!"
Aara stops walking and looks directly at him. "On another day, perhaps. But today my answer is no." Seeing that he is genuinely distressed, she sighs. "Write to me at the amethyst college. I will discuss it with my companions and let you know tomorrow."
She turns and begins walking back towards the college, head down.
Goddard walks through the city hoping to find Aara. All he can think about is her until he meets a terrified woman's gaze. Then he remembers he's alone and what he's 'lost'.
ReplyDeleteHe looks down and away from the woman who promptly ducks into a building. He gives everyone as much space as they give him and sticks to alleys.
Aara makes her slow way back to college, following the river. She doesn't think about the request the man made, intent on discussing it with Goddard first. The biting cold helps her hand throb less, and she wishes she had asked Otto to see it before leaving.
ReplyDeleteDucking into an alley, she bumps into Goddard, her hand crushed between them. "Ah, gods!" she hisses, clutching her wrist.
Goddard quickly takes a few steps away from her. "I'm sorry," he says softly before lifting his head and looking at her.
ReplyDelete"Lecai!" he says surprised. "Oh what did I do to you now?" he looks her over, trying to figure out exactly what caused her pain.
"You didn't do it," she tells him. "I did."
ReplyDelete"Because of Arha? Who, by the way, has something to say to you," Goddard crosses his arms. "And I want to be able to hear it too..."
ReplyDeletePlease accept my deepest apologies lady Aara.
Arha sounds genuinely sorry.
"Thank you." Arha, I don't want us to be at odds with each other. We both want what's best for him, so can't we work together?
ReplyDelete"No, it's not because of Arha. I slipped on some ice on my way back to the college," she lies.
Arha doesn't say anything to Aara. It appears on Goddard's shoulder and seems like it's rubbing its head lovingly on Goddard.
ReplyDelete"Then let's go back to father so he can fix it."
Aara nods and quietly lets him lead her back to the college. No need telling him Arha upset me that much, it's not their fault, she thinks.
ReplyDeleteGoddard puts his arm around Aara and holds her close, kissing her head softly. "Why didn't you just come to me? Don't go running off like that..."
ReplyDelete"Because I didn't want to be angry at you for something you didn't do," she mutters.
ReplyDelete"Why get angry at...never mind...it's passed and it will never happen again." He turns his head toward Arha and says the last bit through clenched teeth.
ReplyDeleteN...no Master...
"Arha, I'm sorry for the horrible things I called you," she offers, trying to make peace with the familiar as they walk.
ReplyDeleteArha remains quite. It's apologized and feels like it shouldn't have to say anything else to Aara.
ReplyDeleteGoddard wrongfully assumes Arha has said something to Aara and gets them quickly to the college.
Aara shrugs. So be it. I tried.
ReplyDeleteWhen they get back to the college, she hangs her cloak, damp from snow, near the fire and examines her hand. It's bruised and swollen, but her knuckles are only scraped. Satisfied that she won't need to return to the marquist and have them repaired, she turns to Otto.
"Ustadh, would you mind?" she asks softly.
"Of course not. I was wondering why you didn't let me look at that before you left." Otto says , taking her hand and whispering the same words from before.
ReplyDelete"I take it Goddard was able to handle everything? Well enough anyway..."
I wasn't ready for it to stop hurting," she answers. "And yes, as best as possible."
ReplyDeleteWhen her hand is its normal size and without pain, she pulls a chair over to the window and watches the snow fall.
Goddard stands behind her chair and leans over, hugging her. "Are you ok? I'm sorry I couldn't do more with the little beast...like bash him in the head."
ReplyDelete"Yes, I'm fine," she says, laying her head back against him. "I got an unusual offer today."
ReplyDelete"What kind of offer? Or will it make me wish I was around to punch the man who offered?" he grumbles. "Hmmm...well never mind...you probably punched him anyway without me."
ReplyDelete"That man I was talking to yesterday? His father served in the royal army, and he's dying. They've offered to finish one of my arms if I give him a glorious death in hand to hand combat."
ReplyDelete"They want you to fight a dying old man? How is that going to be a glorious death in hand to hand?" he asks confused.
ReplyDelete"He'd rather die fighting one of the Walking Death than lie there and waste away."
ReplyDelete"I know exactly how he feels," Goddard mutters. "Not necessarily the walking death part but not wanting to lie down and waste away."
ReplyDelete"So...what do you want to do?"
She shrugs. "I promised to think about it. We have a lot going on right now, with the books and their sister and the vampire... I told them to send me a letter here, and I would respond with my decision."
ReplyDeleteGoddard kisses the top of her head. He walks over to a bookshelf and looks it over carefully before he grabs a book and throws himself on to his bed. "For once...I'll just read something for fun."
ReplyDeleteAara puts her feet up the windowsill, looking outside. After a minute she puts her feet down, then tucks them underneath her to meditate. Two minutes later she's sitting on the windowsill with her feet in the chair, staring up at the bats. She braids and unbraids her hair, starts making mudras and then stops, braids her hair again. Unbraiding her hair once more, she gives up and hangs her head between her knees.
ReplyDeleteHow do they do this all day?
"Cynath...take this poor girl outside and find something for her to do. You're a terrible host," Otto says as he reads a book.
ReplyDelete"But I was already outside and had to fight off crazy animals," Goddard grumbles from behind the book he is reading.
She looks up desperately, hair falling over her face. "Please, hayati?" she pleads. When he doesn't say anything, she crawls across the floor and puts her chin on the bed beside him, batting her eyes pitifully. "How do you do this all day?"
ReplyDeleteGoddard peers over his book at Aara and laughs. "What do you want to do? I've lived most of my life like this and when I have to do anything other than reading, I feel out of my element."
ReplyDelete"I don't c- dancing! Let's go dancing, nuur'eni," she says, climbing onto the bed and taking his book away. "I'll put on something pretty and I won't talk to anyone and we'll just dance all day."
ReplyDelete"Hey I was looking at that...all those pretty words and no pictures," he chuckles, lazily reaching for the book.
ReplyDelete"Actual dancing? Not with a sword or anything? So...you want to be embarrassed by taking me to dance? Or embarrass me? I don't know if i like this..."